Acetylene-gas generator



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v(No Model.)

W..,W. GOODWIN. ACETYLBNE GAS GENERATOR.

NOI 604,879. Patented May 31.1898.

Inventor'.

wf nbr ...J2 @2J ttorney.

Wltnesses (No Model.)

W. W. GOODWIN. AGBTYLENE GAS. GENERATOR.

Patented May 31, 1898.

Inventor'.

'Witnes'ses Attorney. l

v UNiTED-"JSTATES" PATENT `wiLLI'AMwfeoonw1N, oF /B'RDENTOWR NEW JERSEY.-

jAc'ETYLsNsfeAs GENERATOR i srncmcsno'n fortning'psa of maar Pme no, 604,979,

' Appunti ma Aprile, me.

To 'all whom, tammy/concern:

.ne nknown that I, WILLIAM W. Goonwin, a citizen'of the United States, residing at Bordentown, .in thecounty of Burlington andy State' of New Jersey, .have inventedv certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Generv. ating Apparatus, of which the. following is a bers-to.jwit, an annular water-containing 'A chamber and a central rvgas-generating cham Anovel construction'arranged'within thelatter .r chamber, a. valved ,port affording communi# cation betweenrthe two chambers, anautomatie governor operatively connected with the valve-in saidport, andan `exit or distribut ing pipe leading from the central chamber and having communication with the governor,

whereby when the said port .is opened the water will 'pass int the central chamber, enter -the tanktheren, and,-coming into contact with the lcontained :cai-bids, will effect the generation of gas, which gas willl Vthereupon 'ascend in. said latter chamber and pass there- 'from through the outlet-pipe to the point of distribution or storage.v Should the gas generated attain or exceed a eertainnpressure, the governor'is actuated to eiect the sealing 4 of thel valved port, whereupon thelsupply of water tothe' carbide is checkeduntil the gas n falls tothe normal pressure, in which ,event the governor effects the'openingof .the valve to permit the entranceof lthe' water to rthejcar# bids. Hence the koperation'olz' the apparatus is entirelyantomatic so long as the 4name is charged with water and carbide., 'l'.hegas-l generating ,x'zharnber lis also equipped with a safetyvalvawhieh is automatically opened to.l allow ,the escape of the surplus waterfromXy saidch'amber in the event of anrexcessive.

pressure of gasthereim'as will presently ap pear.

,ernor device, enlarged- `perspective.of the carbid-containing tank. Fig., 5 isa sectional detail of the upper end ated'may 31,1898. spun-x0. 531,401. naman The invention also com prisesl various novel 3 'features of construction and organization of parts, which will be hereinafter particularly described andclaimed. l

:In the'drawings, Figure ,f1 is ya vertical section ofthe'apparatus. L Fig. -2 is aplan there`- of.4` Fig. is a vertical section of the gov- Fig. e' is a sectional of the gas-generating cylinder with its cap or head andthe clamping and. retaining devices therefor.V -v

The numerals l and 2'represent two cylin- .ders of appropriate size for their intended f purpose, the former being of less diameter thanthe latter and being arranged therein se -as `to form an annular space 3.

The outer cylinder is capped or headed at `both ends, the inner cylinder being extended through and supported'by the upper cap or head 4; Screwed or otherwise secured vto the bottom of the inner cylinder is -a head 5, in

which are formed two ports 6 7, that aiordl internalcommunicationbetween the two eyl `inders. VNormally 'seated in Vthese ports so as to` closethe same are valves 8 andr 9, re'

spectively, the stems alridrpressure-springs of which are supportedimbracketslO, dependingfrom the head. One, 6, of these ports constitutes an inlet whosevalve-is opened,

as lbelow described, to permit thepassage of water from theouter to theiinner cylinder in a manner lto act upon carbids containedjin the latter andfetect the evolution of gases therefrom, as will presently appear. The valve in the other port, 7, acts as a safety valve, :which inthe eventof excessive pressure olf-thev gas so evolved isforced/outward .to open. the port and allow to escape the snrplns' water which has entered the inner cylinder. Surrounding the upper end of .this .cylinder is a flanged ring 11, in which is formed a. groove `12, which affords aseat for lead or other suitable metal to insure a gastight joint. The cap is' forced toits seat and retained in place 'byA the action thereonof a screw 14, working in a cotter-bar 15, whose ends .take under vthe ringy 11.,I Extending ,through this ring into the interior ofk the cyl- "the ground or faced edge of a cap or head 13, which groove may, if desired, be filled withl inder 1 is an outlct-pipe l16, by way of which the gases generated in the cylinder esca-pe to the point of consumption, distribution, or Stor we. Hthin this cylinder is supported a tan or vessel 17, in which the carbids arel contained. In the present instance this tank is cylindrical inform and is equipped with a central foraminated pipe 18, extending from cud to end thereof. the bottom of the tank and is aixed thereto, such bottom being provided with studs or feet 19, that rest upon a dish-like platform 20, supported upon the lower head of the inner cylinder, as shown. f

'lhe tank is charged as follows: At the outset an appropriate layer of carbids, &c., is placed upon the bottom of the-tank. A diaphragm 21 with downwardly-turned edges 22 is then placed upon the layer, such diaphragm being provided with a central orifice, through which the pipe extends. Another layer of carbids, dsc., is placed upon the diaphragm, and so on the diaphragm and carbids are arranged in alternate succession, as maybe desired. The top of the tank when charged may be closed'by means of 'a suitable coverI 23, similar in form to the bottom, in which case the top of the tube may be soldered or otherwise secured within the central orifice in the cover, the whole forming what may be termed a cartridge. A diaphragm 24, preferably with downwardly-turned edges 25, is supported above the tank, such diaphragm being provided with suitable feet that rest upon the top of the latter.

'lhe functions of the parts just describedwill presently appear.

Extending through the upper head of the outer cylinder 2 is a vertical pipe 2G, which is surnrounted by'a governorhead. This head comprises ae'ylinder 27, carrying a piston 28, t the rod 2.6 of which is fittedto an appropriate packing-box at the upper end of the pipe and depends in the latter. Resting upon the piston is a spiral spring 30, upon which is imposed a disk 31, against" which bears .a setscrew 32, fitted to the capof the cylinder 27'. The piston-rod is composed'of two parts having a sliding or telescopic connection, the lower part being connected with the free end of a lever 34, that is fnlcrumed to a lug or hanger 35 on the lower end of the gas-generating cylinder, which lever is connected with the stein of the inlet-valve 8 above described, tothe end that if said lever be depressed the valve will be retracted from its scatto secure internal communication between the cylinders l and 2.

Opening into the bot-tom of the governorcylinder is a pipe 36,-whieh leads toa pipe 37, rising from the gas-outlet pipe 16, above refcrred to.

Connected with the pipe 26 is a supply-pipe 3S, which'leads from a tank, street-main,or other source of water-supply.

The cylinder 2 is provided at its lower end with adischm'gepipc 39, by means of which 'lhis pipe opens through 4 the water may be run off as desired. AIt is also provided with a water-line gage 40 and with a water-pressure gage 41.

The cylinder 1 is provided with a suitable gage 42, by means of'which the pressure of cylinder 1, as above explained, and the cap 13 to be clamped in place,'the valve on the water-supply pipe -38 is opened and the cylinder 2 is thereby supplied with water. The set-screw 32 is then screwed down,so as to depress the spring and piston in the governorhead, thereby also depressing the lever 34, so as'to retract the valve 8 and open the port 6, in consequence of which the water-in cylinder flows into the cylinder 3, thence upon the platform 20, andup through the centraltnbe 1S in the tank. The water will' thus be evenly distributed to the carbide, the., contained in the first layer and etect the evolution of gas therey from,whieh gas will then pass up around and between the looselytted diaphragm and the inner wall of the tank and alsov through the, centraltube, thereupon coming .in contact with the upper layers of carbide, &c., suc-f' cessively, bywhich more or less of the moisture will be absorbed. The function of the diaphragms is to'prevent the too-rapid contact of the water with the superimposed layers of carbid-,6rd, the turned edges thereof also serving to separate and retain the moisture from the gas to a more or' less degree. As the gas leaves the tank any moisture therein will come in contact with the exterior' .diaphragm 2l, the turned edges of which will also assist in -retaining moisture. 'lhe gas will then pass from the generating-chamber IOO EIO

by Way of the outlet-pipe A1,6 and be 'forced bythe pressure 'within the generating-chamber to the source of distribution or storage. The gas will also pass by way of the pipes 37 36 to the lower portion of thecylinder? and against the piston therein; ,but as thenormal pressure of the gasis not sufficient to compress the spring the position of the governor will be unaffected, and hence the valve Swill remain open. Should, however, the gas within theeylinder reach an abnormal pressure, the piston will be raised against the action of the spring, thereby correspondingly raising the upper section of the piston-rod and relieving the pressure of the lower section upon the lever, in consequence of which the valve 8 resumes its seat and checks the ingress of the watert the generating-chamber. When, however, the gas falls to or below the normal pressure, thepiston 28 resumes its previous position and-thus effects the opening of the valve 8,whieh valve remains openeduntil the pressure in the generating-chamber becomes abnormal, as just stated. An equal pressure 45 `matieallysoperating valve -whicheontro'ls the vsaid port or passage,su bstantiall y as specified.

of gas is thus automatically attained. If upon the closing of the valve 8 under the circumstances'statcd the pressure of the gas geileratcd slionldbecome-excessive by reason of an accumulation ,thereof in thefchamber through non-delivery at the point of distribution or storage or non-use' at thehun-ners, dsc., the valve in port 7 will be forced open, thereby causing the surpli'lswaterin the generatingchamber toircnterthe outer eyl-inder,which actionwilll diminish or checktlie process of generation. This being accomplished, the

`valve 9 will resume itsseat and the generating operation `ywill -be'eontin-ued.

I claim as my inventionf 1. i In a gas-apparatus, the combination oli-al generating-chamber in which .the source vof gas is contained, of a surrounding water-containing chamber or space wit-l1 the lower portion of which the generating f chamber has comm unication, valve mechanism for controlling the communication between said chambers, and a gas-operated governor operatively eonnected'with the valve mechanism, sub'- stantially asspecied.

' ,2. In agas-generator, the combination of an outer water-chamber, a generating-chamber supported within the water-chamber and having a valved vport. at its lower end which opens into said water-chamber, a receptacle supported in said generating-chamber said receptacle havinga central perforated tube therein and layers of carbid rte. surrounding saidtube y"andpartially separated from each.

other by diaphragms, and means for controllling automatically the valve of said port, sub-' stantially as specified,

' '3. In a gas-generator, the com bination of a generating-'chamber in which the source of gas is contained, a water-chamber having communication with the lower portion-of said generating-chamber, and means for automatically controlling such communication, a return port or passage fromv the generatingcham-bonte thewater-eham-ber, and an auto'- 4. In aga'sapparatus, the combination with a generating-chamber in -which thev source of gas v*is contained, a waterchamber having communication with the lower portion of the generating-chamber, valve mechanism ,con

. trolling such communication, a gas-operated governor connected to the said valve mechanism, a return portor-passage from the gen-V erating-chamber to the water-chamber, and

l-afe'ty-yalvc, controllingsaid return port or passage, substantially as specified.

5, In a gas apparatus, the com bination of a` :,fclwritting-chamber in which the source of gas is contained, a water-containing chamber with the lower-,portion of which thegencrating-chamber has'communication by a port vin its bottom wall, a normally-closed valve for controlling the said port, a cylinder, a piston therein, a spring acting upon the piston, means' to depress the Spring and piston, connections between said piston and the valve, and a pipe leading from the generating-chamber t'o said cylinder and communicating with the same below its piston, substantially as specified.

6. Ina gas apparatus, the combination ol' a generating-chamber, a vessel therein pro- .vided with aperforated pipe, detachable diaphragms for said vessel and of less diameter thanthe vessel, and meansfor supplying liquid tosaid pipe, vsubstantially as described.

7. .In a gas apparatus,'the combination of a generating-chamber, a vessel therein to receive' layers of carbids, dsc., diaphraglns of lessdiameter than the vessel and provided with drooping edges and adapted to separate such layers except at the outer marginal por tions thereof, and means for supplying water to such vessel, substantially as described.

v8. In a gas-generating apparatus, the combination 0fv a generating-chamber, a watercha'mber with the lower portion of which the generating-ehamber communicates, means -for automatically controlling such communicylinder, lmeans for automatically actuating the valve of s aid port, and means for-'introducing water within the outer cylinder, substantially as described.

10.v In a gas-generating apparatus, the'combination of an outer cylinder capped or headed at both ends, an inner cylinder extended head of said outer cylinder, a valved port in the lower end of the inner cylinder, a pipe rising from the outer cylinder, a governorcylinder on said pipe, a piston therein, connections between the piston and the valve of said port, and a pipe leading from the inner cylinder to said governor-cylinder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afxed my signature inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM W. GOODWIN. Witnesses:

JOHN R. NOLAN, JoHN F. BAsnoRn.

-throngh and supported in the upper cap or 

